Woman admits making £11,000 false benefit claim

Barlestone woman admitted two counts of failing to notify a change in her circumstances and two further counts of making false statements to both Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and Jobcentre Plus when she had claimed to be living alone, when in fact she was living with her partner

A false benefits claim has led to a sentence of community service and an order to repay more thn £11,000 for a 33-year-old woman.

Joanne Bennett of The Pingle, Barlestone, admitted two counts of failing to notify a change in her circumstances and two further counts of making false statements to both Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and Jobcentre Plus when she had claimed to be living alone, when in fact she was living with her partner.

She was ordered to undertake 180 hours of community service work and to pay £100 costs with a £60 victim surcharge, in addition to repaying her overpaid benefits to the council and Jobcentre Plus.

The court was told that suspicion over Bennett’s circumstances arose following a review of her claims for housing benefit and council tax benefit, during which she declared that her partner was about to move in to her address.

The council’s review officer suspected that her partner had actually lived with her before the date she gave, so a detailed investigation followed.

Consequently, it was discovered she had been falsely paid £11,229 in housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker’s allowance during the period that she lived with her partner.

In mitigation, her solicitor said that Bennett was now repaying her overpayments and is in full-time work. The magistrates acknowledged that although her claims were initially legitimate, this was a very high level of offending.

After the case, Claire Webber, the council’s fraud team leader, said: “Although initially legitimate, it did not take long before her claims became false.

“Bennett made the choice to mislead the council and the Jobcentre by claiming to be single. As a result of her actions, she now has a criminal record and a bill of more than £11,000 to repay.

“The council has a zero tolerance approach to benefit fraud and will take action against anyone found cheating the system. If anyone suspects that someone may be claiming benefits that they are not entitled to, they should call our fraud hotline on Hinckley 255683 and speak to one of our investigators.

All calls are confidential and all allegations of fraud will be looked into.”